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By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior reporter
No longer a stranger to winning titles in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Barangay Geneva San Miguel Kings floor general LA Tenorio is still in awe of his latest league championship, so much so that he considers it one of his best.
Tenorio and the Kings took the PBA Philippine Cup title last week after completing a men’s sweep (4-1) of TNT Tropang Giga in their best-of-seven finals series to drop the curtain. from the successful “bubble” tournament at Clark City in Angeles, Pampanga.
It was the sixth PBA championship for Batangas native Nasugbu, but the first All-Filipino title in his illustrious professional career to date. He was also named MVP of the final, his fourth such award.
For the Kings, it was the 13th title and the first Philippine Cup crown after 13 years.
While all of his championships, Tenorio said, are special to him, the 2020 Philippines Cup championship, made and achieved under extraordinary circumstances due to the prevailing conditions with the coronavirus pandemic, makes it very special.
“After a long wait, yes, I am happy that they finally gave it to me. I consider this top one of all the championships that I have won. Apart from being the first Filipino [in my career], the way we won it made it special, “said the 14-year PBA veteran from the Athenaeum, in an interview with The Chasedown television show on Saturday.
“Our trip was something else. First it stayed under a bubble. We really had limited time to prepare to enter because practices only allowed four players at a time due to the pandemic. I had health issues (having to have an appendectomy before the bubble), and then the team only had seven days, I think, to play in the bubble before the tournament started. The schedule was difficult because there was a point where we played games in a row. In the end, it was really the survival of the fittest and for us being one of the two teams that stayed and we played in the final and we won it made it very memorable, ”he added.
Tenorio, 36, further shared that he almost made the decision not to go to the bubble, where the league had participants take refuge in the Clark City area for the two-month-long tournament to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. . , but finally made the decision to participate in it.
“I was thinking about not going to the bubble earlier because my wife just gave birth to our youngest son and I had surgery too. I felt those were signs not to go. But after talking to team officials and the league, my doctor and my wife allowed me to go because she believed my team needed me in the bubble, I made the decision to go, “he said.
Tenorio went on to say that he is also happy for the team, who sacrificed a lot to find ways to win amid challenges.
Going forward, the Barangay Geneva point guard said that winning championships does not go out of style and that he would welcome any opportunity to play for one title at a time.
But at this stage in his career, it is also important for him to be able to inspire others in what he does.
“At this point, it’s more than winning. It’s not necessarily about championships, but it’s great to have them. But I want to inspire more players, especially hopefuls, to continue to play at a high level and for them to do so too, “he said.
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